Fight 4 Us (Book 9): Settlement

by Grenda, Brian

  I look at TJ and answer, “Sure.”

  I shout to Hector, “I’ll be right out!”

  Phil says, “I’ll get the water for them.”

  Phil, Hector, and Hector’s group exit Bobby G’s house.

  TJ and I stand in Bobby G’s kitchen.

  “I sense some tension between you and Phil… Everything okay between you two?” asks TJ.

  “Yeah, everything is good,” I answer TJ.

  “You sure, because I see Phil wanting to kill Jacob and I’m not sure you want to,” replies TJ.

  Phil grabs a case of water from Bobby G’s garage as Hector stands in Bobby G’s driveway.

  Phil and Hector walk by Felix, Walter, and Enrique, who are standing underneath Bobby G’s oak tree.

  Enrique, Walter, and Felix are looking across the street at Shaun’s front yard.

  Enrique and Felix are looking at Odin, Chewie, and Alice.

  “TJ’s sister is pretty fine,” says Enrique to Felix.

  “Aren’t you seeing Misty back home?” asks Felix.

  “Yeah. I’m seeing Misty, Heather, and Sonya. I see them a lot actually,” jokes Enrique.

  “Do they know about each other?” asks Felix.

  “I hope not. That wouldn’t be good,” answers Enrique.

  “That’s just dumb. They all live at the Haven,” says Felix.

  “Why do you think I’m always going on runs or staying in St. Pete?” asks Enrique.

  Felix just shakes his head at Enrique.

  “Don’t hate the player, hate the game,” says Enrique.

  “Hate the moron. You are playing with fire man, messing around with three women,” replies Felix.

  Phil closes Hector’s car trunk.

  “Thanks Phil,” says Hector.

  “Welcome, but if you get a clear shot of Jacob or DK or anyone of the Conquerors, you take it,” says Phil to Hector.

  “But Ryan said,” replies Hector.

  Phil interrupts Hector and says, “I know what Ryan said and what I’m saying is… If you can safely kill Jacob, DK, or anyone of those idiot Conquerors, you do it.”

  “DK actually helped us before, but I know Jacob is bad news,” says Hector.

  “DK stabbed Ryan, and I don’t trust him,” says Phil.

  I exit Bobby G’s house with TJ.

  Phil hears TJ and me exit Bobby G’s house.

  “You be safe out there. We will see you in a couple days,” says Phil to Hector.

  “Let’s go fellas! Adios!” shouts Hector to Felix, Walter, and Enrique.

  Walter, Enrique, and Felix walk to Hector’s car and then get in to Hector’s car.

  I wave to Hector and shout, “Be safe! We will see you soon!”

  “We will be back in a couple days with our intel!” shouts Hector.

  Hector gets into his car and exits Citrus Oaks through the main entrance.

  Janet walks over to TJ.

  “Can we go home now? I gotta check on Chloe and Toby,” says Janet to TJ.

  “Who are Toby and Chloe?” I ask.

  “My cats,” answers Janet.

  “How’s your neighborhood holding up?” I ask.

  TJ answers, “Pretty good, most of the homes are abandoned now, and we have some security measures up around the house.”

  “What happened at the casino? You never really told me much about it,” I say to TJ.

  “It was a blood bath. Colonel Meyers’ men are killers. They took down the casino residents pretty easily,” answers TJ.

  “I’m glad you two made it out alive and you got your sister back,” I say to TJ.

  TJ watches Alice talk with Lisa as they stand in Shaun’s front yard.

  “Me too,” replies TJ.

  TJ looks at Janet and then at me.

  “We gotta get going, but we will be back. Janet and I will go with you to The Grove. Just give us a little heads up when you are going there,” says TJ.

  “We will. Plan on going there in three or four days,” I say to TJ.

  TJ and I shake hands.

  Janet and TJ walk to TJ’s jeep.

  TJ opens his rear-driver side jeep door.

  Odin gets into TJ’s jeep.

  Alice, Janet, and TJ get into TJ’s jeep.

  TJ exits Citrus Oaks through the main entrance.

  I look at Phil as we stand in Bobby G’s driveway.

  Phil looks back at me.

  “Do we have a problem Phil?” I ask as I glare at Phil.

  Phil looks me in my eyes and answers, “I don’t have a problem. I’m trying to end the Conquerors and keep this place safe.”

  I hear Phil’s answer to my question and feel a sense of anger in his voice.

  “You don’t think I am doing that?” I ask Phil.

  “I don’t understand what we are doing here to be honest. Why aren’t we going in an attacking The Grove and Jacob right now?” asks Phil.

  “Are you serious? Because they have armed guards and innocent people are living there,” I answer Phil.

  Bobby G and Shaun see Phil and I talking. Bobby G sees my body language and starts to get worried about the conversation between Phil and me.

  Bobby G starts walking over towards Phil and me.

  Shaun follows behind Bobby G.

  “If you want to just go in there and start shooting up the place, then go ahead! I’m not doing that, and no sane person would!” I shout.

  “I just don’t get a sense that you are worried about Kat or Deb, or that you even want to kill Jacob!” shouts Phil.

  Shaun and Bobby G walk over to Phil and me.

  I am heated right now. I feel that Phil is out of line and that he is being irrational.

  “What if you die Phil? How will that impact Nicole and the twins?” I shout.

  I see that Phil is pissed and feel that he wants to hit me.

  Phil clenches his fingers of his right hand into a fist.

  “Everything okay here?” asks Bobby G.

  Phil keeps his eyes locked in on me.

  I stare at Phil and ask, “I don’t know… Are we okay Phil?”

  Phil stares back at me but doesn’t say anything.

  “Come on guys. We all need to relax and calm down,” says Shaun.

  “I’m calm,” I say as I keep my eyes on Phil.

  “So am I,” replies Phil as he keeps his eyes on me.

  Shaun sees Phil and me still staring at each other and jokes, “Yeah, you both look real calm right now.”

  I smirk at Shaun’s joke and Phil starts to laugh.

  “There you go guys. I was about to pants one of you if you didn’t calm down. You two are on the same side, and we need you both working together,” says Shaun.

  “How did the meeting go with Hector?” asks Bobby G.

  “How did it go Phil?” I joke.

  Phil looks at me and answers, “It went well jackass.”

  I look at Bobby G and say, “The meeting went well. Hector and his group will be gaining intel for us. They will be finding out what we are up against and then we will go from there.”

  “When do you plan on going to The Grove?” asks Bobby G.

  “Whenever Hector comes back here and lets us know what he finds out, but I think after we get back from World of Trade,” I answer Bobby G.

  “That’s right. We gotta get your guns back from Dutch and Cage,” says Shaun.

  “I would like to go to The Grove now, but I’m not sure what we will be going up against… And I’m sure I will need my guns from Dutch,” I say.

  “Don’t you have to get more stuff from the Big Club to pay Dutch for the mods he is doing to your guns?” asks Shaun.

  “Yeah. I plan on doing that tomorrow along with going to Bo’s ranch,” I answer Shaun.

  “Awesome, we need some more eggs from his chickens,” says Shaun.

  “What’s up with the deer TJ brought us?” I ask.

  “I think we have to take it to Bo. I don’t know the first thing about butchering a deer,” I say.
<
br />   “Aren’t you a surgeon?” jokes Shaun.

  I answer, “Yeah, and?” I sarcastically ask.

  “You couldn’t figure it out? Chop it up and perform surgery on it,” jokes Shaun.

  I ask Shaun, “And where would you propose I do that at? Your kitchen?”

  “The deer could be a good trading piece,” says Bobby G.

  “I agree, let’s take the deer over to Bo tomorrow and see what we can get for it,” says Phil.

  “Phil has spoken!” I joke.

  Phil tries to punch me in my shoulder, but I block his punch.

  “Nice try short stuff!” I joke with Phil.

  “Can’t we just send a drone around The Grove?” asks Bobby G.

  I answer, “We can and that sounds like a good idea.”

  “Hector’s group were going into St. Pete anyway… Let’s see what they find out first,” says Shaun.

  “I just think it’s a good idea to get our own eyes on The Grove, and our drones could safely do that for us,” says Bobby G.

  I ask, “Will our drones reach that far?”

  Shaun answers, “Not from here.”

  “How about from the Big Club?” asks Bobby G.

  “It would be close for the range of the drone, but I think it could work,” answers Shaun.

  I look at Bobby G and ask, “You need something from the Big Club?”

  Bobby G smirks and asks, “How’d you know?”

  I answer, “I know when you ask about something a couple times you are asking for a reason. When was the last time you were at the Big Club?”

  “I don’t know, it’s been a while. I hope we still have some candy bars there,” answers Bobby G.

  I look at Bobby G and joke, “I’ll make sure you get a couple million-dollar chocolate bars.”

  “Oh man, those are good,” replies Bobby G.

  I look directly at Phil and say, “I want Jacob dead, but I want all of us alive more… We will get rid of Jacob and his Conquerors.”

  “I agree. I’m sorry for questioning you on that,” replies Phil.

  “That’s okay. Don’t let it happen again,” I joke with Phil.

  “Enough with the bullshit. Can we wrap this up? I have to get something to eat,” says Shaun.

  Phil and I look at Shaun.

  I look at Shaun and say, “You are always worried about food.”

  “I’m on a high protein diet. Gotta feed the beast,” replies Shaun.

  “More like fatten up the pig,” jokes Phil.

  “Oh man, I could really go for a pulled pork sandwich right now,” replies Shaun.

  I say to Bobby G, Phil, and Shaun, “I’ll see you guys tomorrow morning. Let’s plan on getting over to Bo’s ranch early in the morning. I’d put that deer in the garage and out of the sun… Try to wrap it better to keep it fresh.”

  Bobby G says goodbye to Shaun, Phil, and me and then Bobby G goes into his house.

  Shaun and Phil walk over to Shaun’s house to wrap up the deer.

  I walk towards my house and enter my house.

  CHAPTER 5

  HELP YOU

  “How is the deer?” I ask Shaun as I stand with Shaun in Shaun’s garage.

  “It’s good. We covered it with ice last night. Well, as much ice as we had in my house, Matt’s house, and Phil’s house. We need an ice maker machine,” answers Shaun.

  I reply to Shaun, “Yeah, we do. I think I saw one at Fisher Sports the last time we were there.”

  “We should stop by there,” says Shaun.

  I reply, “If they don’t have one, I definitely saw one at The Grove when Kat was performing her medical exam on Phil, Lauren, and myself.”

  Shaun yawns.

  I ask Shaun, “Am I boring you?”

  “No, I’m just tired this morning and I need my coffee,” answers Shaun.

  I look down at my watch and say, “It’s 9:30 bro.”

  “Yeah I know, I didn’t get much sleep last night,” replies Shaun.

  I say, “I don’t even want to know why.”

  Shaun smirks and replies, “You really don’t.”

  Phil parks his electric truck in front of Shaun’s house.

  Shaun and I look at Phil’s white electric truck.

  Phil and Jon exit from Phil’s electric truck.

  “Morning,” says Jon.

  Shaun and I greet Jon and Phil.

  “Where is Matt?” asks Phil.

  I answer, “Not sure. He’s been MIA lately.”

  “I’ll go see what Matt is up to,” says Phil.

  Phil and Jon walk over to Matt’s house.

  KNOCK! KNOCK!

  Phil knocks on Matt’s front door.

  Ann answers the door.

  “Hey Ann. Is Matt up?” asks Phil.

  “I’m not sure. Let me go check, but come in guys,” answers Ann.

  Phil and Jon walk into Matt’s house.

  Ann knocks on Matt’s closed bedroom door.

  KNOCK! KNOCK!

  “Who is it?” asks Matt from inside his bedroom.

  Ann answers, “It’s mom. Phil and Jon are here.”

  “I’ll be right out,” replies Matt.

  Ann walks into the living room and tells Phil and Jon that Matt will be right out.

  Phil thanks Ann.

  Ann asks, “How are my grandkids doing?”

  “They are good. They miss their grandma though,” answers Phil.

  Ann smiles and says, “I’ll have to stop by and see them. I wish Nicole would bring them here though.”

  Matt enters the living room and says, “We will all go see Nicole and the babies.”

  Phil and Jon look at Matt.

  “What’s up guys?” asks Matt to Jon and Phil.

  “We are going to Bo’s ranch. TJ got a deer yesterday and we are bringing it to Bo,” answers Jon.

  “That’s cool,” replies Matt.

  “You coming with us today?” asks Phil.

  Matt shakes his head and gives Phil a look of disdain.

  “We are also going to the Big Club after Bo’s ranch,” says Jon to Matt.

  Phil notices the look on Matt’s face.

  “Everything okay Matt?” asks Phil.

  Matt is hesitant to answer.

  Phil feels that something is bothering Matt.

  “I think I’m going to stay around here today. I got some things to do around here, and we want to go see Nicole today,” answers Matt.

  “You sure man?” asks Phil.

  “Yeah, I’m sure. You guys have fun though,” answers Matt.

  There is an awkward silence between Phil, Jon, and Matt.

  Phil looks at Jon and says, “I guess we’ll get going then.”

  Jon agrees.

  “Have a good day Matt,” says Jon.

  “You do the same,” replies Matt.

  Phil and Jon leave Matt’s house through Matt’s front door.

  Phil and Jon walk back to Shaun’s house.

  “That was awkward,” says Jon to Phil.

  “I know right. Something has to be bothering Matt,” replies Phil.

  Phil and Jon meet Shaun and I next to Phil’s electric truck.

  Shaun and I loaded the dead deer, that TJ shot, into the back of Phil’s white electric truck that we are taking with us today.

  I say, “The deer is starting to stink a little.”

  “Yeah, we need to get this big guy over to Bo now,” says Shaun.

  “Is Matt coming?” I ask Phil and Jon.

  “No, he’s staying here,” answers Phil.

  I say, “Let’s get moving. We need to get this deer over to Bo fast. I don’t want to risk it turning rotten.”

  “I wish we could have contacted Bo before we head over to his ranch. How do we know he’s there?” asks Jon.

  I answer Jon, “We don’t, but we have to try.”

  I close the back hatch of the electric truck and walk towards the front of the electric truck.

  Phil gets into the driver’s seat of the e
lectric truck, while I get into the passenger seat, and Shaun and Jon climb into the backseats.

  I look at Phil and say, “Let’s go over to Bo’s first, and then the Big Club.”

  “You got it,” says Phil as he drives down the street towards the main gate of Citrus Oaks.

  Phil stops at the closed entrance gate and Brody comes over to talk to me.

  I look at Brody as I roll the electric truck passenger side window down and ask, “Have you seen the drone or anything else flying around here lately?”

  “No sir. I haven’t seen anything in the sky around here, but I have heard some helicopters in the distance and maybe a small plane,” answers Brody.

  I say to Brody, “Keep an eye out for us. We will be back today. Keep up the good work Brody.”

  Brody smiles.

  I shout, “Open the gate!”

  Two guards open the main gate and Phil exits Citrus Oaks.

  “You are too nice to that kid,” says Shaun to me as Phil drives down the road.

  I look back at Shaun and ask, “What do you mean?”

  “Brody is doing a good job, but you shouldn’t make him feel like he is. You gotta keep him on his toes, so he keeps working hard for you,” answers Shaun.

  I give Shaun a puzzled look.

  “It’s simple psychology bro,” says Shaun.

  I smirk at Shaun’s statement and joke, “Three years at community college teach you that?”

  “Yeah, among other things,” answers Shaun.

  Jon looks at Shaun and says, “You should write a book. How To Succeed In Life By Shaun.”

  We all laugh at Jon’s joke, but I think about the idea of writing a book. I like the idea of journaling to keep record of what is happening now, and if someone finds it then they can see what happened around here.

  “We should actually start a record of things. I think it would be good to keep track of what happened to us around here. Someone might like to find out what happened around here one day.”

  “I say fuck it. Let’s worry about staying alive and not bookkeeping,” says Phil.

  “I think keeping a record is a good idea. I’m going to take more video footage also. We can have a video journal,” says Shaun.

  “I know Kelly would like to be involved somehow,” says Jon.

  I look out the front windshield of the electric truck and say, “Kelly can definitely be a part of it. A big part. She has done a great job with our library.”

  Shaun jokes, “There you go again with your compliments bro. You are way too nice.”